Our experience was disappointing to say the least. we stopped in after dinner looking for some fun…read moredrinks; I ordered a ramble in rose and my husband got a Jack Straw. mine was okay; not great, but fine. his was absolutely terrible! we choked down most of it but it was really gross. the bar tender seemed very new and like he didn't know what he was doing, so maybe that explains the bad drinks? service was also incredibly slow.

We stayed in The Suites at Waterfront Plaza and noticed Hoops Brewery across the hall. But as I'm…read moretrying to take it easy on the gluten, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a little cocktail bar within the brewery! It's a small intimate space, and actually what drew me in was the live music. There was a female performer who was so incredible that I bought her CD even though I don't have a CD player... Anywho, I ordered a cocktail and then bellied up to the little wooden bar. The owner served my drink and she was so wonderful and gave us some local recommendations. The Viola Lee Aviarion featured locally distilled Vikre Spruce Gin and was pleasantly balanced. We loved all of the assorted vintage glassware too. We will def pass through here again when we're in the area for craft cocktails and convo with locals.

Their posted menu on website is baloney. They have a couple of burgers, nachos, but NO PIZZA. When…read moreI pointed out the discrepancy to bartender, he said he had no idea and would inform management. Doubtful. I suspect no one has looked at the website for months, possibly years, and likely no one really cares. Sorry this is one of my pet peeves for restaurants, especially touristy ones.

Nice place! We stopped in for drinks before dinner. The staff is friendly and the raspberry…read moremojito was pretty good.

We came here mid afternoon on a Saturday and had about a 15 minute wait which was no problem. We…read morejust grabbed a drink at the bar! We were seated outside on the patio area super nice. The service was a bit slow, but that's to be expected on a Saturday afternoon. We only got appetizers and drinks, but the apps were pretty good!

Had to wait for our reservation, but a very busy weekend so we totally understand! Patio was so…read morefabulous. Had a burger and Cuban, delicious!!

Absolute 5 star experience here. We entered right at they opened at 11 on a Saturday. I told our…read moresever that I had an event coming up at noon so we'd be ordering right away, and by golly, the staff took care of us. Drinks, followed by poutine 5 minutes later, then food about 10 minutes after that. We were all done within 30 minutes! The food was fantastic, too. Delicious poutine, with oozy gooey squeaky cheese curds. I had the smoked fish salad; it had the right amounts of everything and felt like a distinctly Duluth dish. My husband had the fish and chips. I had a bite of his fish, and it was perfect, with great batter and flavor. I would happily come here again on a visit. I can see why this is a city institution.

The service here was spot on. Our server was extremely attentive and was not bothered at all when I…read morekept asking for jalapenos. It was a bit chilly today, but those pickled jalapenos really helped. The seating was nice. It's great it was dog friendly, but I would recommend going on a warmer day, Iif you're bringing your furry friends. We had the bbq burger(added jalapenos) w/onion rings and poutine. I usually end up not liking the poutine at places, but will try it. Here, I actually really liked it, and will definitely get it again. The same for the onion rings, they were crispy and not too greasy. We also got the inhouse made root beer. That was quite good as well.

If I could give this place 100 stars I would! I went to college in Duluth and anytime I'm back this…read moreis a must stop at restaurant! The appetizers are amazing, the sandwiches are even better, and the soups are to die for! They do have music performers sometimes and it's right on the lake! The service is incredibly fast even when they're busy. Can't wait to come back!

Order at the counter, get a number and find a seat. The pretzel and drinks were delicious. The…read moreEnglish dip was rather bland ( like a lot of English food), the Sir Pesto was delish! The band was LOUD. the desserts were different and tasty. The French silk pie had a bit of salt to elevate the chocolate and the bread pudding had apples! Great Brandy Old Fashioned and Long Island Iced Tea.

Jamie was such a great server! She was super friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything…read morewe needed the whole time. She gave great recommendations and had such a positive attitude. Definitely one of the best service experiences we've had in a while. We'll be back for sure!

This place hasn't been the same since COVID. We used to come here religiously like once a month…read more Ever since COVID they lost all their good chefs and waitresses. Food is now average at a high price. The only thing they have going for them now is their location.

ACES on FIRST is AWESOME. This is literally the BEST place in Downtown Duluth, I think. The staff…read moreis so friendly, they alway ask how your day is going and over the years I consider them to be my BEST friends. Honestly, they've been there so much for me in the past (when no one else was there, they were) that any one of them could ask me to help them move a heavy ass hot tub, and I would in a heartbeat. The owner, Cade, is THE shit. Just look for the tall guy with the sweet hair and badass button up shirt and you'll know him when you see him. Best part is because he's so cool, all the people he hires to work for him are cool, thus the people that frequent there are cool, so by going there YOU are COOL by association. It's like one big cool club and everyone's invited. The amount of romances and babies that have resulted from ACES ON FIRST is probably what keeps the population of Duluth above the 2.1 children-per-woman needed to prevent a society's extinction. Do yourself a favor and pop in Aces. I know that when I die and I enter the white light, on the other side I'm going to emerge into Aces. Heaven IS a place on Earth...and it's called ACES. BTW Thank you Aces for directly hooking me up with he woman I'm in love with right now.

The bartenders are amazing. Great service. The DJ was a total jerk. So rude to us that we left…read more Nobody was on the dance floor and he refused requests. Totally condescending to my daughter's requests. Should be replaced Immediately.

Perfect small plates sharing experience for a night out with friends. The service was…read morefantastic--our server was knowledgeable about the menu and helpful with explaining portion sizes for sharing. This is an upscale tapas menu, expect small plates and a surprising mix of delightful, seasonal flavors. We enjoyed the trio of dips, our favorite was the muhammara--roasted pepper and walnut with citrus and pomegranate seeds. We added on an extra pita to soak up every bite. Next was the dolma, a delicious combo of flavors and twist on the traditional. The kale salad was perfectly dressed and grilled peach added just the right sweet contrast. The Lake Trout with couscous was outstanding but my favorite part of the plate was the chermoula--a tangy, herby olive oil concoction that I must replicate. The chef came by to talk to us and answer our questions. We each enjoyed a signature cocktail, I highly recommend the Limonada 75, an Italian take on the French 75 with limoncello. We wrapped up our experience sharing the Olive Oil Cake with a rhubarb compote and generous dollop of fresh whipped cream. We will absolutely be back, we have to try the halloumi, which was unavailable, and the pasta at the table next to us looked tasty. There was also plenty of variety for a vegetarian/pescatarian to choose from. Alto Pino is expensive, but worth it. A dinner shared between three people including sharing 4 small plates, dessert, drink, and 20%+ tip came out to about $70 each. You are also paying for the experience of tasting something new and unlike anything else offered in Duluth. Reservations were easy to make online, you should make yours today! PS I'd love to see their twist on traditional Spanish tapas like patatas bravas or pan con tomate on the menu!

The vibe is weird. The food is tiny. The prices are high for the amount of food they give you. Go…read moreto Saratoga instead!